Boomtown Fair Announces A Run Of Acts For Its 8th Edition

Last week, Boomtown Fair announced the first wave of acts for the 2016 festival. This year’s event will take place on the Matterley Estate near Winchester running for 4 days from August 11th. Boomtown is known for its incredible production, sets, costumes and purpose built towns; all making the festival experience one that’ll never be forgotten.

Boomtown has thus far announced its first wave of acts for this year’s festival. The 8th chapter of the festival shows off its genre-spanning lineup, with three headline acts that have been top of the Boomtown Fair wish list since the festival began. UK ska legends Madness are set the headline alongside reggae royalty Damian ‘JR Gong’ Marley and New Zealand 7-piece dub specialists Fat Freddy’s Drop.

This August will see 50,000 ‘citizens’ descend on the Boomtown Fair. Festival-goers will be thrust amongst Boomtown’s theatrical narrative of revolution, set across nine individually themed districts, each with a soundtrack covering all bases of the musical spectrum offered at the festival.

Boomtown’s infamous ‘Town Centre’ is where Madness will be making their mark on the festival. Joining the ska legends, though, are a whole host of exciting acts. Fun Lovin’ Criminals will show off their fusion of hip-hop, funk and punk. British electronic luminaries Leftfield and festival outlaws the Levellers will be delivering their sound to the Town Centre. Back by popular demand are 2-tone ska heroes Bad Manners and California ska-punk legends Mad Caddies, keeping energy levels high alongside 10-piece French ska rockers Babylon Circus, Austrian electro-swing pioneers Parov Stelar and the superhuman mouth-driven music of Beardyman.

Boomtown have also released this year’s OldTown lineup. The OldTown, the festival’s longest standing district, plays host to The Jolly Dodger, a 90-ft pirate ship and the OldTown main stage. Shivering the timbers of The Jolly Dodger is a collection of some of the world’s finest exponents of gypsy, Balkan beats, Klezmer and pirate music. In addition to the already announced Babylon Circus and Los de Abajo, prepare for the Hungarian ‘speed folk freak punk’ of Bohemian Betyars, the turbo-charged Czech-American world-fusion of N.O.H.A and arriving from France, jazz-metal trio Les Yeux d’la Tête and Balkan electro-punk pioneers Fat Bastard Gang Bastard Gang Band, plus many mor

So far, Boomtown have also announced the lineup of the popular Wild West district. A raucous, ex-prospecting settlement populated by cowboys, showgirls, bounty hunters and bandits, and ruled by the no-nonsense Sheriff. Away from the district’s purpose-built town of dusty trails and ramshackle saloons, three main stages show off a rootin’ tootin’ line-up of Folk, Bluegrass, Ska and World music. For those seeking a dance should definitely head to the Crazy Calamities saloon, where musical styles are mashed like malt whisky!

NEW FOR CHAPTER 8 ….As the divide between rich and poor has become ever greater, discontent and unrest have spread throughout the barrios and districts of Boomtown… The once great Mayor Comrade Jose, elected by the people, for the people, has been brainwashed and become ever more detached from reality, as her allies dwindle she introduces new military conscription and her propaganda machine goes into overdrive in a bid to retain control…. Meanwhile ever increasing numbers of rebels gather in the shadows beneath the city, ready to make their boldest move yet!